A self-driving vehicle created specifically for goods deliveries has been unveiled by Nuro. The new company was founded by two ex-Google engineers, Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu, who have raised US$92m in two rounds of funding.
“We started Nuro to make products that will have a massive impact on the things we do every day,” said Ferguson. “Our world-class software, hardware and product teams have spent the past 18 months applying their expertise to deliver on this mission. The result is a self-driving vehicle designed to run your errands for you. It is poised to change the way that businesses interact with their local customers.”
Nuro’s new vehicle is designed specifically to move goods between and among businesses, neighbourhoods and homes. The fully autonomous vehicle is unmanned and about half the width of a passenger car. It’s built with ultra-light materials and designed for neighbourhoods. Nuro says these combined design elements will make it one of the safest vehicles on the road.
“We aspire to lead a new wave of robotics applications that make life easier for everyone and give us more time to do things we love,” said Zhu.
“We are living in extraordinary times where advancements in robotics, AI and computer vision are making it possible to imagine products and services that could not have existed just 10 years ago.”
Nuro will forge partnerships with businesses big and small, seeking new ways to transport goods cost effectively and create new experiences for customers.